Ex-Soldier Turns Troop Carrier into a Limousine

It is the perfect way to make a spectacular entrance. Ex-soldier Dereck Hardman has shelled out thousands on a troop carrier, complete with machine-gun. The five-ton vehicle, capable of travelling on land or water, was built in the 1980s for island-hopping troops.

Now, for £22-a-head, stag and hen parties can be transported about town with a "military escort".

Dereck, a married father-of-three who served in the Army from 1981 to 1991, describes the vehicle as the "ultimate stag machine". He has spent about £10,000 ($20,000) fitting it out with a red carpet, a £5,000 ($10,000) audio system, a fridge and even a smoke machine.

He said: "It is a gamble, but it is one worth taking. "I believe I have found a gap in the market. There are plenty of limo companies, but who else offers a ride in an Army vehicle? "I can't wait for the first bloke to be brave enough to book me as their wedding transport."